Superman Vs. Superman

The NBA Finals are starting tonight and ‘Superman’ v2.0 is taking center stage.  Dwight Howard hasn’t been shy about stealing borrowing the ‘Superman’ moniker from the original, Mr. Shaquille O’Neal (also known as Shaq-Fu, Shaq-Daddy, Shaqtus, The Diesel).  Since Dwight donned the cape in the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, he made it known that he was the one and only ‘Superman’ and that he was here to stay.  But is he deserving?

At only 23, Dwight is already a 3-time All-Star, 3-time All NBA team member, 2-time All Defensive team member and this years Defensive Player of the Year.  Not bad.  He has also averaged a double-double in every single year of his career, including the playoffs.  And most importantly, he is currently the most dominant/athletic/explosive center in the NBA by far (an NBA that still includes the Big Aristotle).  Tim Duncan is a great big man, one of the best of all time, but there is nothing ‘Superman’ in him.  Yao is silky smooth, but hardly dominant or explosive.  And the former guy-we-hope-is-most-like-Shaq, Amare Stoudamire, doesn’t have the attitude or the knees of a ‘Superman’.

Shaq is special.  He is hilarious.  He raps.  He acts. He does it all and he always does it with a smile on his face.  That is something I truly respect and something worthy of being a ‘Superman’.  Not to mention, he has a ‘Superman’ tattoo and ‘Superman’ logos all over his mansion.  And then there’s the fact that like the superhero of DC Comics versus his foes, Shaq is arguably the most dominant player in NBA history.  Yes, Wilt Chamberlain had better career numbers and certainly dominated his era more than Shaq did his, but I would have loved to see what would happen if the 7′1″, 275 Wilt went heads up with the 7′1″, 325 Shaq.  I’m not saying, but I’m just saying.

So anyway, Shaq brings it as a 4-time NBA Champion, MVP, Rookie of the Year, 3-time Finals MVP, 2-time Scoring Champion, 3-time All-Star MVP, and 15-time All-Star selection.  Dwight Howard is a long way from those credentials.  He also probably couldn’t come close to bodying up Shaq in his prime.  But he is Shaq-like nonetheless.  The combination of gregarity and smiles off-court, and pure dominance on court is a rare find.  And while Dwight may never be Shaq (and there will probably never be another Shaq), I think he has made his case to be the true second coming of NBA’s ‘Superman’.

Good luck in the Finals Superman.